Carriage



J. DAVJDSQN Dec. 1, 1942.

CARRIAGE Filed July 22, 1939 2 Sheets-She et 1 Dec. 1, 1942. I J. DAVIDSON 2,303,527

CARRIAGE Filed July 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIII II mun lllllllllllllllllllll INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 1 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARRIAGE Joseph- Davidson, Scarsdale, N. Y. Application July 22,1939, Serial No. 285,932

1 Claim. (0]. 296-50) The present invention relates generally to improvements in wheeled'vehicles of thebaby carriage ordoll carriage type. The invention is directed more particularly to an improved construction adapted to facilitate carrying a plurality of dolls simultaneously Within the carriage, although the mechanism may be utilized in baby carriages generally.

Most children possess several dolls "but, usually, only a single doll carriage. Children like to carry two or more dolls when wheeling their doll baby carriages, and prefer to have their dolls separated from each "other. The present invention is directed to a-carriage which may be utilized with a single large carrying compartment or which may be divided into a plurality of compartments so that two dolls may be carried, one behind the other. .The invention aims to provide means for easily and quickly converting the carrying compartment from a, large single one into separate compartments arranged in tandem. The invention also aims to provide a converting means that may be operated by a 'child.

Anobject of the present invention isto provide means for dividing a single doll carriage compartment into a plurality of compartments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive means for dividing a single doll carriage compartment into two tandem compartments.

Another object ofthe inventionis to provide an improved dividing means that may be easily operated by a child.

A further object of the invention-is to provide means adapted to retain the dividing member firmly in normal position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dividing means that may be easily and quickly installed during the manufacture of a .doll carriage.

Other and further objects of theinvention-will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claim, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to,

one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

Apreferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for. purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a doll carriage with the dividing means therein; 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a preferred form of end retaining means;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of dividing means;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of another modified form of dividing means; and

Fig. '6 is a longitudinal sectional view of still another modified form of dividing means.

Referring again to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention. Generally described the construction comprises wheels 2 mounted on axles 4 which are secured to springs 5 of theframewo-rk 01' undercarriage. The undercarriage is attached adjacent the ends I of the upwardly curved springs to the body 8 of the carriage. The body 8 of the carriage comprises sideportions In which preferably extend downwardly to partially conceal the parts of the undercarriage and a bottom portion ll secured between the sides [0 with an upwardly extending end portion l3 at one end thereof. The sides [0 are preferably padded to prevent injury to a child or doll and to more nearly resemble an actual baby carriage. A foldable top or sunshade l4 may be pivoted to the sides anda handle portion l6 may be provided at the rear of the carriage to facilitate propelling the vehicle. All of the above described parts are known and do not form-the novel elements of the present invention.

The rearward end of the carriage is normally closed by a member I! extending between the rear ends of the side members In and resting on the bottom portion H of the carriage. The bottom portion ll preferably comprises a substantially fiat, unitary member to the underside of which are attached the ends 1 of the curved supporting'springs 5 and the handle I6. In this relation-the bottom portion I I, upwardly extending side members In and front and rear portions l3 and i1 form a single large carrying compartment for adoll or the like. Attached at each end of the-back portion [1 and extending into the carrying compartment is a bracket member Hi. This bracket preferably comprises a V- shaped member with its free ends secured by means of screws, nails or other suitable means to the ends of the back portion adjacent the top and bottom thereof. The apex of the V-shaped bracket is provided with a recess or aperture adapted toreceive a bolt or other pivotal securing means l8. The bolts l8 preferablyextend through apertures in the sides ll! of the carriage and are retained in position by a nut or thumbscrew threaded to their outer ends.

To convert the single large carrying compartment into two separate compartments, located one behind the other, the back member I! is rotated upwardly and forwardly about the pivot l8 through 180. In this forward position the back I! rests against the bottom portion H intermediate the ends of the sides Ill. The intermediate or forward position of the back member is shown in dotted lines at B of Fig. 1. The substantially flat bottom portion ll forms the bottom for both the large and small carrying compartments. The back member I! is the only part which need be adjusted to convert the carriage body from a single to a double compartment; the bottom II and sides in are in oper ative position at all times and require no adjustment.

With the back member in intermediate position at B one doll may be placed in the front compartment of the carriage and another may be placed in the rear compartment, with the movable back member forming a back rest for the dolls.

When the back member I! is in forward position the end of the carrying compartment will be open, so that the legs of a doll in the rear compartment may extend out through the opening and beyond the end of the carriage. To prevent the doll from falling out through the end of the rear compartment there is preferably provided a belt or safety strap 20 which may be buckled about the doll to hold it securely therein. The safety belt may also be used when the back is in position to provide a single compartment and may also be swung about to hold a doll within the forward of the compartments. When the back member I! is at the rear of the carriage to provide a single compartment the safety belt will be in position to hold a doll therein and when the back member I! is moved to intermediate position the safety belt 20 becomes automatically available for holding a doll within the rear compartment to prevent the doll from falling outwhen the drop is not used, as will be later described.

In Fig. 2 means are shown adapted to assist in retaining the back member I! in normal position at the rear and resting against the bottom H. Extending inwardly from the sides l adjacent the ends thereof and attached thereto are members 22 adapted to frictionally contact the ends of the back member to prevent accidental movement of the member away from the bottom I I. The back member may thus be held in position against shocks and jars but may be readily shifted to its forward position.

Fig. 3 illustrates a carriage similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but provided with means adapted to form a closed end at the rear of the carrying compartment when the back member I! is in forwardposition. Essentially the drop or folding end comprises a portion 23 hinged or pivoted at its lower end to the carriage bottom II. The back portion may be held upright against the ends of the sides ID or may be moved rearwardly to an inclined or horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3. In this position a dollmay be placed in the rear compartment to rest in reclining posture against the portion 23. A flexible member 25 of cloth or the like preferably connects the drop with the ends of the sides and a rod 24 secured at one endto the drop passing ments. could be positioned so as to provide the forward through an apertured post 21 may be clamped in various positions to hold the drop at different inclinations.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 each illustrate a modified form of means adapted to divide a carriage into separate compartments.

In Fig. 4 the member 26 lies against the bottom ll of the carriage when not in use and may be rotated upwardly and forwardly about a hinge or pivot 28 to-rest againsta pin 29, or be otherwise held erect. The'member 26 thusdivides the carriage into separate compartments and also forms a back rest. Since the dividing member 26 does not close the end of the carriage in normal position, there is also provided an end member 3| similar, to the end member l3 at the front of the carriage. It will be understood that a drop and safety belt similar to that shown in Fig. 3 maybe utilized if desired instead of the end member 3!.

In Fig. 5 longitudinally extending receses 32 with downwardly inclined end portions 34 are cut or otherwise formed at the inner faces of the side walls I0 adjacent the top and bottom of the carrying compartment. The recesses are adapted to receive and form guideways for pins which project outwardly from the sides of the dividing member 35 and into the slots 32. The downwardly inclined end portions 34 of the recesses 32 hold the dividing member 35 in position adjacent the end or middle of the carrying compartment. Preferably the upper recess is slightly longer than the lower recess so that when the dividing member is in either of its two usual positions it will be inclined slightly with respect to the horizontal to form a more convenient and comfortable back rest for a doll. If desired, a drop and safety belt may be used with this modification also.

In Fig. 6 the positioning means for the movable back or dividing member comprises substantially vertically extending recesses 31 and 38 formed at the inner surfaces of the side walls ID. A dividing member may be inserted into the recesses 31 at the rear of the carriage to form a single large compartment or may be inserted within the recesses 38 to form separate compartments. In this modification also a drop and safety belt may be used at the end of the carriage if desired.

While the present invention has been shown as dividing a single compartment into two compartments it will be understood that the single compartment may be divided into more than two compartments. For example, the prefered embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may be combined with the modification shown in Fig. 4 to divide a'carriage into three separate compart- In such event the modification of Fig. 4

compartment and the preferred embodiment-utilizedto form "the two rearward compartments. The invention has also been described particularly with reference to doll carriages but it will be apparent that it is also applicable to baby carriages.

It will be seen that the present invention provides an inexpensive and practical means for dividing a doll carriage into separate compartments. The compartments are arranged in tandem and the dolls may .sit both facing ahead or to the rear or toward each other. Thedevice is not complicated and may be easily operated by a child. In addition, itis sturdy and well able to withstand any rough-usage to which it may be subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A carriage body havin an end wall, side walls provided with a. pair of substantially longitudi- 10 

